The results of combined paleobotanical (pollen, spores, cysts of dinoflagellates) and microfaunistic studies of four sections (Oligocene-Lower Miocene) of the Shamakhy-Gobustan region of Azerbaijan (the southeastern edge of the Greater Caucasus) are presented. According to microfauna data, the upper and lower contacts of the Maikopian series were defined. The lower boundary of the Maykop sediments in the studied sections with the underlying Eocene ones is defined by the disappearance of such foraminiferal species as Subbotina eocenica irregularis, Globorotalia praebulloides and a sharp reduction in Globigerina ofisinalis Subb. The mass appearance of Globigerina tarchansis, Bolivina tarchansis, etc. determined the contact of the upper boundary of the Maykop with the Tarkhanian deposits. Nine conventional palynological asssambleges (PA) and eight dinocysts complexes characterizing all Maykop divisions, except for the uppermost layers of the Rüppel and upper Hattian stages were identified.The sections were correlated with the zonal change of dinocysts and microfaunal complexes. The isolated PA’s are characterized by the predominance of the pollen of woody species of angiosperms (Quercus, Fagus, Juglans, Castanea, Carya, Myrica) with the subordinate participation of gymnosperms, mainly Taxodioideae. The transition from the lower to the upper Maykopian (Oligocene-Lower Miocene) occurred during a relatively cold phase and is characterized by an increased content of birch, alder, and cypress pollen along with the participation of f representatives of the Poltava (Palmae, Ginkgo) and Mediterranean flora. The change in the content of the dominant groups of dinocysts was determined by the change in the salinity of the paleobasin. An increase in Batiacasphaera representatives indicates desalination in the Early Maykopian time – PC II (Ruppel) and Late Maykopian time – PC IX (Kotsakhur), which is simultaneously accompanied by a percentage increase in the content of pollen of wet land vegetation (Taxodioideae).

 

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